Birthright
by ziva2012
Summary: Here's another Jack and Sam alternate universe, romance story from 2003.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

This was just possibly the best news Sam had ever heard!

"Are you sure?" she asked for the third time in two minutes.

Caroline Lam, CMO of the base beneath Cheyenne Mountain, smiled patiently. "Sam, you just heard both heart beats. What more proof positive do you need?" she asked Sam O'Neill, who was sitting on the side of the bed in the base infirmary.

Sam slid down off the bed and onto her feet. Then she pulled her stretchy, hot pink maternity top down over her protruding belly, before giving the small mound a little pat.

"Wait till Jack finds out," Sam said.

"Wait till Jack finds out what?" Jack asked as he strolled into the room carrying their three-year-old daughter on his shoulders. Sam and Caroline watched him duck, as they came through the doorway.

"Mommy!" the child shouted upon seeing Sam. Kelly reached out for Sam, but Jack hung onto her leg with one hand, and grabbed her arm with the other, successfully flipping her over his head and down into his arms.

"Hold on a minute, honey. Mommy and Daddy are talking. Wait till I find out what, Sam? Is something wrong?"

Kelly continued to wriggle, so Jack put the squirming child down. The little girl wrapped her arms around her mother's legs and buried her face in the hem of Sam's short, brown skirt. Normally Jack would be ogling his wife's long, shapely legs about now, and thinking about how they wrapped around him when he was fucking her. But what he'd heard as he entered the room had him very worried, and even the short skirt was wasted on him at the moment.

"I'll let you tell him the news, Sam," Caroline said, and then she walked to the other side of the large room and began tinkering with a heart monitor that had been acting up.

Caroline wouldn't admit it, particularly to General O'Neill, but she thought she'd better stick around, just in case the man had a heart attack. After all, he was a little old to be adding to his family...specially two babies at a time! Or maybe, she mused, two at a time was the best way for him to procreate at his age? That way he could have more kids in less time and with less physical effort, she mused, wondering if General O'Neill, who seemed so virile in so many other ways, had any trouble getting hard.

'Well, you know that Sam has been pregnant only twice...even though she was married to that Pete guy for three years...but both times Jack was the natural father. So was it just plain luck, or was the General a total stud?' she wondered, trying to keep a straight face. Caroline turned her back on the three, and tried not eavesdrop on their conversation.

"I think you should sit down, Jack," Sam said, patting the bed.

"No! I'm not sitting down! Tell me what's wrong, damn it!" Jack yelled, his face a mask of worry and anger.

"Jack, shush! Nothing's wrong, but I think my news might be a little shocking, that's all. Come on, sit down here next to me," she said as she managed to pry Kelly's arms from around her legs. Sam sat on the bed, and Jack bent over and picked Kelly up, putting the child on Sam's knee. Then he sat next to them, trying his best to remain calm.

"Well, you know I just had my monthly pre-natal check up. And when Caroline listened to the baby's heart beat, she heard two."

At first Jack's face registered nothing but confusion, his forehead furrowing between his dark brown eyes. Then suddenly his confused expression turned into shocked understanding.

"Two babies! We're gonna have two babies?" he shouted, and Sam nodded. Kelly clapped her little hands together and shouted, "Yaaaay!"

Jack threw his arms around Sam and Kelly and hugged them. Then he kissed Sam on the lips. And Kelly, never one to be left out, tipped her chin up, while tugging on his shirt.

"Me too, Daddy!" Jack gave her a quick peck on the mouth, as he patted the top of her blonde head.

"Holy Hannah, Sam! This is great news! Terrific news! OH! Are you okay? Is there anything you should be doing differently? Do you need to quit working? Cause I'd be fine with that," he said quickly, and Sam sighed.

Yes, she knew he'd be fine with that, but she wouldn't! They had discussed how little time she spent with him and Kelly many times before, and their arguments had always ended with her promising to cut back. Well, even though she had meant to, she hadn't cut back, and now she was determined that he was NOT going to use these babies as a way of tying her to the house!

"Jack, I don't need to quit my job at the SGC. I'm fine! Tell him, Caroline...this is just like any other pregnancy, right?" Caroline came over and stood at the foot of the bed.

"Well, actually, Sam, Jack is correct; you do have to slow down a bit," Dr. Lam said quietly, realizing the reaction this was going to get from her patient. Most people at the SGC knew that Sam worked far more hours than anyone else on base...a fact that would definitely have to change!

"But I'm fine! You said so yourself!"

"I said your blood pressure was normal, as is your weight gain. But Sam, your body is going to have to nurture and protect two other lives besides your own. For the next five months you need to watch your diet and get lots of rest. And while that doesn't mean doing nothing, it DOES mean cutting back on your hours here at the SGC. I can tell Landry to cut you back to part time starting today, if that's what you want, Sam?" Caroline threatened.

"No! Please! I've got too many projects to finish! Caroline, you wouldn't!"

"Sam, calm down," Jack said, as he put his arm around Sam's shoulders. You just need to work nine to five like other people, instead of twelve hours a day. Isn't that what you mean, Doc?"

"For now, yes. Nine to five for now. And then next month I want you to cut back to four days a week, or nine to three, five days per week. You can decide which, unless your health suffers. And then I WILL talk to Landry. But for now it's nine to five, Sam. No more burning the mid-night oil, or even the seven o'clock pm oil! Got it?"

"Yes," Sam said, albeit reluctantly. She felt like everyone, including these babies, was ganging up on her! Couldn't anyone understand how important this job was to her? ...how important this work was to the protection of their country?...the entire world?

"Mommy, if there are two babies, can I have one to play with, while you have the other?" Kelly asked.

While Sam discussed the babies with Kelly, Jack slipped of the bed and took hold of Caroline's smock sleeve. He tugged her toward her office, saying he just needed to talk to her for a minute about something. When they were out of earshot of a certain little Miss Sponge Cake, as he liked to call his daughter, he asked the question foremost on his mind.

"Eh...What I want to know is... I was just wondering if..."

"Let me guess; you want to know if Sam can have sexual relations, to what extent and for how much longer. Right?" she asked the obviously embarrassed man. He nodded his head.

"Ya! That stuff! I mean I wouldn't want to hurt the kids or anything," he explained.

"Well, let me assure you, there isn't anything Sam can't do for the next four months, that she couldn't do before, unless she has complications, like bleeding or cramps. But let's not go there for now. Sam is a very healthy woman, with a good track record. So there's no reason to think that this pregnancy will be any different than her last.

"It's four thirty on Friday afternoon, Sam. I want you to go home now and spend some quality time with your family. And I don't want to see you back here on base until nine o'clock Monday morning," Dr. Lam said firmly, just as her father, General Henry Hank Landry came walking into the infirmary.

"Did I hear you sending my top researcher home early?" he asked curiously.

"It's not that early. And yes, you did. Your top researcher is expecting twins, Dad. And I've told her to cut back on her hours in the lab, since those babies are going to take precedence over anything and everything that goes on here on base," Caroline said with conviction.

"Twins! That's great, you two! Congratulations, Jack! I never thought you had it in you...er...I mean I thought you were a bit past your prime to be making babies at your age, Jack," Hank said with a chuckle.

"I'll have you know I can make babies as fast or faster than a man half my age," Jack bragged, obviously feeling a bit slighted.

"I don't think we should discuss my husband's fertility, or his stamina, in the presence of our progeny, if you don't mind," Sam reminded them. Sam took Kelly in her arms and slid down off the bed. Jack quickly reached for Kelly, taking the little girl from her mother's arms, and Sam began walking, her nose in the air.

"And no carrying anything heavy, Sam," Jack could be heard telling his wife, as he followed her out of the infirmary.

"I'd love to be a fly on THEIR wall tonight," Caroline said aloud.

"Would that be because your own life is do dull?" Hank asked her.

"No, Dad. It would be because I find those two intriguing! I mean look at them! Don't you? They were SG-1, for heaven's sake! They were two of the most talked about, honest-to-God heroes that this planet has ever seen...at least in this century! They faced and defeated countless enemies! They risked their lives on a daily basis, while sacrificing their own personal happiness to do so! And now they're finally married, to each other, and are raising a family! I think it's better than a frakin fairy tale, Dad! Don't you?"

"Frakin?"

"Yes, frakin. It means fucking. It's from a science fiction show I watch on television," she said as she went to her small office, Hank hot on her heels.

"You see, that's what I mean! If you had more of a life than the SGC and television, you would be happier, Caroline."

"How do you know I'm not happy, Dad? A since when are you such a good judge of when someone is happy or unhappy? As I recall, you didn't seem to know when either of your wives was unhappy," she reminded him.

"Touché! Well, how about taking your old man out to dinner tonight? I feel like knocking off early."

"Okay, but only if you promise not to bring up my love life or lack there of."

"It's a deal, but only if you promise not to bring up my ex-wife."

"Your on! Give me fifteen minutes, and I'll meet you at the elevator," she said with a smile.

All the way home Sam had been quiet...way too quiet to suit Jack. And he thought he knew why; she had felt like everyone was ganging up on her earlier. Well, he had a plan to make her forget about that. He just needed to find a sitter for Kelly. If only Daniel and Vala weren't out of town!

As soon as they got home, Kelly went to her room to play, and Jack went into his office to make some phone calls. He was talking on his cell phone, when the house phone rang. Sam, who was in their bedroom changing clothes, picked it up on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Sam! Hey, it's me."

"Hey, Daniel! How's Costa Rica?"

"I don't know. I mean I'm not there. We got home this morning."

Sam knew that 'we' meant he and Vala Mal Doran, an alien woman who had been assigned to SG-1 last year. She and Daniel had been sleeping together for a few months, and they had most recently gone to Costa Rica on a six-week-long dig with several of Daniel's archaeologist friends.

"You did? I thought you were coming home next week?"

"We were, but I found something I want you to take a look at, Sam. Plus, Vala was getting kind of tired of picking bugs out of her hair," he said with a laugh. Then there was a muffled cry and a loud 'thump' sound. "Sorry. Vala was just being playful," Daniel giggled.

Daniel actually giggled. Now there was one for the record books, Sam thought with joy. Maybe he's finally found happiness, after all those years of pining away for his lost Sha're.

"I hear. So when can I see this thing you found?" Sam asked, eager to find out more about whatever it was. There was nothing Sam liked better than a mystery doohickey.

"How about in the morning? I'll be at the SGC by about seven. Wanna meet me there?"

"Eh...I'd love to, but..."

Just then Jack walked into the bedroom and went into the closet. Sam didn't feel like discussing her jail sentence in front of one of her jailers, so she declined without going into detail.

"But I'm sorry, I can't. I'm going to be busy in the morning. Oh, and by the way, I'm having twins," she said.

"Very funny, Sam."

"I'm not kidding, Daniel." Jack came out of the walk-in closet and held his hand out.

"If that's Daniel, I want to talk to him," Jack said. Sam handed him the hand set and remained seated on the bed.

"She's not kidding. Just found out less than an hour ago."

"Whoa, twins? No fooling? That's incredible! Sam's going to have twins." Daniel was obviously yelling at Vala. Jack hung on and waited. He heard shrieking in the background, and then Daniel was back. "Wow, that really is great, Jack."

"Thanks! So when are you two coming home? We could use your help around here," Jack said as he sat down on the bed next to Sam.

"Harrumph!" she said, and then she stood up and went into the bathroom. He knew a cold shoulder when he was given one, and Sam was giving him one that would freeze the a Goa'uld symbiote!

"We ARE home. We got home this morning, Jack."

"You did? Well, why didn't you say so! Say, listen," Jack said, lowering the volume of his voice. "Can you take Kelly for a couple of nights? I'm sorry to give you no warning, but I've got a situation here," he spoke conspiratorially.

"Sure. Is Sam alright? I mean TWINS! Golly!"

"They're fine, Daniel. But their mother is a little upset right now, because Caroline told her to cut back on her hours at the SGC."

"Ahhhh. So that's why Sam said she couldn't come to the base tomorrow!"

"I'll say she can't! Listen, I'll talk to you about that when I see you. How soon can you come and get Kelly? Or should I bring her over there?"

"How about now? We were going out to dinner anyway. We can take her with us to Mickey D's."

"McDonald's is the best you can afford, Daniel?"

"No, Jack. That's where Vala wants to go."

"Vala wants to go to McDonald's for dinner? You aren't kidding, are you?" he asked rhetorically.

Jack was thinking, 'Talk about a cheap date', but he didn't say it. He suspected his young friend had fallen in love with the wacky alien woman, and who was he to tell the guy she was all wrong for him...even if he thought she was. "We'll see you soon, Daniel."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

Jack put away the hand set and looked into the bathroom. Daniel and Vala would be there in just a few minutes to get Kelly, and Jack needed to get her ready. But his attention was drawn to his wife of two months, who was standing at the counter, looking at her face in the mirror. The way she was leaning in toward the glass and making a face, it was obvious to Jack that she was upset about something she saw there.

Part of him asked "what now?" But the part that loved her beyond words had decided to try and be more supportive and understanding. No matter whether they involved her shortened days at the SGC or how long or short she wore her hair, he was going to show her he cared about her feelings, damn it!

"What's wrong, honey?" he asked as he came up behind her. She continued to stare at her reflection, as Jack put his hands on her hips.

"Do you think I look old?" Now there was a trap with a steel door, if ever Jack had heard one! If he said 'yes', of course he was a dead man. But if he said 'no', was that really the answer she wanted to hear?

"I think you look more beautiful with each passing year." There! He had been diplomatic and thoughtful! Surely there was no way Sam could take what he'd said the wrong way, could she? He waited on pins and needles for her response.

"But what about these lines here...in my forehead? Don't you think they make me look old? Maybe I should get Botox injections."

"No! You let anyone touch this face," he said, turning her around, "and I'll cut off their hands and make them eat them for breakfast!" Then he kissed her forehead and said, "Speaking of breakfast; we're going out for brunch tomorrow morning, and I've got to go pack Kelly's bag."

"You've got to pack Kelly's bag, because we're going out to eat in the morning? Jack, did you hit your head on something?" she asked, trying to stifle a laugh.

"No, that's not why I'm packing her bag, smarty pants. She's spending the night with Daniel and Vala. Two nights, actually," he corrected, as he hurried out of the bathroom. Sam quickly followed him to Kelly's room.

"Hey, squirt! Put your socks and shoes back on. You're going to Uncle Daniel's and Auntie Vala's for two nights," Jack told the child, who was sitting on her bed, playing with her GI Joe and Barbie dolls.

"Can I take Joe and Barbie?"

"Sure! Pack their bags! But put on your shoes first!" Jack said, as he grabbed her pink tote bag off the closet shelf and began stuffing clothing inside. Kelly got off the bed and picked up her shoes and socks. Sam held out her hands and Kelly handed them to her. Then Kelly climbed up on the bed and put her feet in Sam's lap.

"Jack, what are you up to?" Sam asked cautiously, as she always did when Jack seemed to be having one of his brain storms.

"Kelly's going visiting. That's all," he said, as he took the child's coat and hat out of the closet. It was mid April, but it was still quite cold and a late snow was predicted for the weekend.

Just then the door bell rang. Kelly was off the bed like a bullet shot from a gun. Jack and Sam were walking down the hallway when they heard Daniel's voice. Sam went to him, her arms open. "I missed you guys!"

After Sam hugged both Daniel and Vala, Jack gripped Daniel in a bear hug and slapped him on the back. "I'm glad your back, Danny, me boy!" Jack said in his best Irish accent. Then he reached out awkwardly to take Vala's hand. She, however, had decided she'd had enough of Jack O'Neill's aloofness, so she jumped up on tiptoe, latched onto his shoulders and planted a kiss on his left cheek.

"It's good to see you too, Jack," she said enthusiastically. Then she bent down and picked up Kelly, who had been babbling away about something or other ever since the adults had entered the house. "What is it, little one? Aren't these people treating you properly?" Vala asked in her oddly English/Australian accent.

"I want to take my GI Joe and Barbie, but Daddy forgot to pack them!" she whined.

"Well, leave it to Auntie Vala. Let's to get your dolls, princess," she said, and she took Kelly's hand and headed down the hallway with her. Sam went along, giving Jack an opportunity to talk to Daniel alone.

"Jack, has it occurred to you to teach Kelly NOT to open the front door every time the door bell rings?"

"Ya, Daniel, I'll do that. But first listen! Sam is very upset about being made to cut back on her hours at work, so you gotta help me out! If you could see to it that she leaves the base by five each day, that would be great! Oh, and starting next month, she has to cut back to four days a week, or six hours a day."

"Six hours or four days! She must really be upset about that, Jack." Knowing his good friend Sam as he did, Daniel suspected that 'upset' really didn't begin to describe how Sam was feeling about the matter! It was no wonder Jack was asking for help! A Sam without her doohickeys was a Sam to be feared!

"You have no idea! In fact, she hasn't said much to me since we got home from talking with Dr. Lam. That's why I wanted to plan something nice for her this weekend...to kinda take her mind off things," Jack confided.

"Ah, I see! Well, for what it's worth, I do think Sam works too much. But for heaven's sake don't tell her I said that."

"Don't tell WHO you said WHAT?" Sam asked, as she walked up to them, and Daniel cringed inwardly. Then he thought fast and came up with something that he hoped sounded plausible.

"Oh, I was just telling Jack about Vala and her love of all things from McDonald's. I can't stand the place, but she loves it. So... Hey there! You all ready?" he asked as Kelly and Vala came skipping toward him.

"Yes, Uncle Daniel!"

"I put her mittens in her bag too. We were thinking of going to the skating rink tomorrow if the weather's nice," Vala told Jack and Sam, smiling. "Are her skates in the garage?"

"Yes, they are." Jack said. "I'll get them."

"No, I can do it," Vala offered. And before Jack could move, she was heading for the side door that led into the attached garage. Jack thought Vala was in a particularly good mood, even for Vala.

Sam thought the young woman seemed much happier the past few months, since she and Daniel had become inseparable, and Daniel seemed a lot more cheerful too and less obsessed with his work.

'God, maybe that's how people see me!' Sam thought, as she and Jack stood on the front porch and said their good-byes to Daniel, and Kelly. Sam kissed her daughter and then hugged her. Maybe she shouldn't be sending her away like this? Maybe what she needed to do was spend more time with her? Suddenly the feeling that she was neglecting her daughter flooded her mind, and she felt like crying...something she seemed to be doing a lot of lately.

"Found them!" Vala called out as she skipped through the foyer and out the front door to join Daniel and Kelly.

"Kelly, are you certain you want to go? If you stay we could all roast marshmallows in the fireplace and watch any movie you choose," Sam offered, as she felt tears threatening to fall. Sam blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision and hide her emotional reaction from the others. But it was too late.

"Don't cry, Mommy! I'll be back soon, and then we can do whatever you want to do," Kelly consoled Sam, in a very grown up tone of voice. All three adults smiled, and Sam wiped away a tear from her cheek.

"Sam, come on. She'll be back before you know it," Jack said, hugging her. Now what had he gone and done? He had been trying to get them some time alone, and all he'd done was manage to upset her!

"Sam, if you really don't want her to go..." Vala began. Vala had lifted Kelly up in her arms, while Daniel opened the back door of his car. Sam put up a hand to stop her.

"No, Vala, forgive me. I'm just being silly. Take her. Kelly, please be a good girl for Uncle Daniel and Auntie Vala. And have fun, sweetheart!"

"Bye, baby!" Jack called out.

"I'm not the baby anymore, Daddy, so you have to stop calling me that!" she called back to him with a smug grin.

"Right! You're the big sister now," Jack replied with a smile, which was met with a thumbs up from Kelly. Sam shook her head, wondering which of their friends had taught her that mannerism. A certain engineer named Siler came to mind. 'My daughter the human sponge,' Sam thought, feeling nothing but pride.

The O'Neills moved to the open doorway and waved until they could no longer see the car. Then Sam turned and headed down the hall, as Jack shut and locked the front door. He followed after her, wondering what he should say. He was feeling very guilty by now. Sending Kelly away had been his idea, and it had made Sam cry. Damn!

When he got to Kelly's bedroom, the light was on and he saw Sam standing by her bed.

"Sam. Sam, I'm sorry I even suggested she go. I just wanted us to have some time alone together. I was gonna take you out to brunch at that nice hotel in Denver that you like so much and then to the planetarium. We haven't been there in a while. Remember the last time?" Jack asked, as he put his arms around her, and pulled her back toward his body. Sam leaned against him, and he could feel her body shaking. He knew she was still crying, and he hated to see her cry!

"Yes, I remember. It was right after you moved in with us. Kelly loved it. She wanted a telescope. I was glad you already had one, and that you could show her how to use it. You've been such a good father, Jack...in so many ways," she said as she turned around in his arms.

Jack could see the streaks of tears on her face now, and he tried to wipe them away with his thumb before more came to take their place.

"Please, Sam, don't cry! I can't stand it when you cry, baby," he told her, and then he kissed her gently on the lips, swallowing her shuddered exhale.

"Don't call me baby, Jack. I'm not your baby anymore," she said, paraphrasing what Kelly had said to him a few minutes earlier.

"You'll always be my baby, Sam. But I only call you 'baby' when we're alone together...like now," he said, kissing her forehead and then her eyelids, as more tears escaped from under them. "Now...what can I do to make you stop crying?" he asked as he kissed the tip of her nose.

"You can take me out for brunch in the morning and to the planetarium, but right now I could use some of those special talents of yours," she said coyly, her eyes glistening with more than just tears.

Jack took her hand and led her to the guest room, where he told her to stand still while he rounded up a few things. Sam was very curious why he wanted to be in this particular room. It wasn't even fully furnished yet! But it did have a king-sized bed with a nice wrought iron headboard, and so she did as he asked. In a minute he was back with three silk scarves in one hand and a small duffel bag in the other.

"What on earth!"

"Just stand still, honey. We're gonna play a little game," Jack told her as he dropped the bag on the floor next to the bed.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

"Just stand still, honey. We're gonna play a little game," Jack told her as he dropped the bag on the floor next to the bed. Then he moved her closer to the bed, turned her around, and tied one silk scarf over her eyes.

"Oooh, kinky! I didn't know you did kinky, General!" Sam purred.

"Oh, I DO almost anything," he said, his voice husky with arousal. If Sam had noticed his fledgling hard-on, she hadn't made any indication. Maybe he'd just let her feel it...just for a second or two...just to peak her interest. Jack took her right hand and placed it over his groin, and Sam hummed her approval.

"Ummmm! My, my, is that all for me?" she asked, and then she licked her lips and Jack almost came in his pants.

'Suck it up, Jack,' he admonished himself. 'Remember your mantra! Mind over matter!' he chanted. But he also had something that would help him remain in control...he just needed to put it on.

"Yep, always all for you, my pretty one, but let it go for now, Sam," he said, pushing her hand away. "I've got plans for you first."

Jack began to undress her, slowly removing each piece of clothing and replacing it with warm kisses, beginning at her collar bone and continuing across both breasts and back again, across her ribcage. Then he sat down on the bed, and pulled her toward him, turning her around so that he could kiss the swells of her round, firm ass, as he slipped her panties down. Sam wobbled as she stepped out of them, but Jack had an arm around her and wouldn't let her fall.

He looked her up and down, noting the curve at her waist, her shapely calves and long firm thighs, and of course her lovely ass! Oh, how he loved that ass! He had worshipped it for years...was forced to watch it, but never allowed to touch it... as he followed along behind her on missions. And now here it was, and it was all his! He pressed the side of his face against the skin of her lower back and sighed. 'If only I could spend an eternity right here!' he thought, as his hands caressed her thighs.

By now Sam's legs had begun to quiver, and Jack sensed that she was about ready to collapse. So Jack helped her onto the bed, on which he had unfolded a large towel. Jack positioned her body in the center of the towel, with her head at the wrought iron headboard. Using the two remaining scarves he tied her wrists to the headboard above and to either side of her head. Then he put a pillow under her hips and just stared at her. 'My God, she's gorgeous!' he thought as he looked down on her with adoring eyes.

Snapping himself out of the trance that seeing her like this...naked and vulnerable...put him in, Jack took the other things out of the tote bag and laid them on the bed near Sam's hips. And then he got undressed and climbed onto the bed. He knelt beside her and moved her thighs apart, his dark eyes filled with love and lust, as he gazed upon her glistening curls and pink lips.

Jack had been partially erect for a while now, but seeing her like this...open and exposed to whatever he wanted to do to her...made him hard in an instant. And since he wanted his erection to last, for both their sakes, he had bought something new that he was eager to try. He picked up the elastic ring with the little nubs projecting from one side, and pushed it over the end of his penis. Then he rolled it down until it was positioned correctly and snugly around the base of his cock. It was a bit uncomfortable at first, but soon Jack forgot that it was even there.

"Keep your legs apart. I've got something for you," he drawled in a deep, resonating voice, as his hands caressed her sides, sweeping down over her thighs and back up to her breasts. "Oh, I don't doubt that!" Sam said with a nervous laugh. She knew one thing for certain that Jack had for her, and she wanted it a whole hell of a lot right now! But she could be patient. She was beginning to enjoy his little game and was looking forward to finding out what was in the bag.

Sam moaned and writhed on the bed when Jack's fingers tugged her nipples. Then she felt one of his large hands press against her curls and a thumb slip over her clit...just a quick brushing touch that made Sam shiver with anticipation. Just as suddenly his hand was gone. And what was this? Jack was getting off the bed!

Jack ran out of the room, but he was back in less than fifteen seconds, carrying a bowl of ice cubes with something else on top of them. He sat the bowl on the bed and crawled over to her. Sam had heard his heavy footsteps as he ran through the house, and she felt the mattress moving as he got back on the bed. She also thought she heard a little tinkling sound...like ice cubes in a glass! Surely he hadn't gotten himself a drink!

"Jack, what are you doing?"

"I'm right here, baby," he said breathlessly. "Just had to get your surprise. Open up again and hold still. Ole Jack has a treat for you," he said, trying to sound confident.

He had only read about this, and trying it on Sam was another thing entirely! Figuring the only way to find out if she liked it was to do it, he got comfortable on his stomach, his face poised over her sex. Then began to lick her swollen, pink lips, dragging the flat of his tongue along them, from her perineum up to her clit. Sam's hips began to sway and rotate, and Jack could tell she was getting more and more aroused.

Now for the experiment, he thought, as he reached into the bowl and took out a 5-inch-long, blue, frozen, ice pop. He began to use it in place of his tongue, sliding it up and down over her...just barely touching her skin. Before he'd even completed the first pass, Sam's hips bucked violently, so much so that Jack had to hold her down.

"Jaaack," she whined, "what IS that?"

"It's just an ice pop...your favorite flavor...blueberry. Try to hold still baby," he said as he repeated his actions over and over again. Sam began to ooh and ah with each swipe of the cold treat on her labia. Her hips were still moving up and down, but with a smooth rhythm, rather than sudden jerks. After a minute, Jack licked her lips clean of the blue, sweet coating...his saliva warming her. Sam relaxed a little at the warm feeling, but her senses remained on high alert; she wasn't sure what to expect next!

Now that Sam was relatively calm and accustomed to the cold sensations, Jack decided to proceed with his experiment. Holding open her labia with one hand, he inserted the tip of the ice pop with the other, guiding it into her tight channel. Sam's breath hissed out from between gritted teeth, as Jack slid the erection-sized, frozen hard-on as far as it would reach. Her hands clinched into fists, as she pulled hard on the silk restraints.

And then she cried out. "Oh, oh, oh! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" she cried, and Jack slowly pulled the half-melted frozen treat out of her pussy and tossed it into the bowl. Bending over her, his tongue sought to catch each and every drop. Then he wrapped his lips around her clit, flicking it with the tip of his tongue as he sucked it into his warm mouth. Sam bucked her hips hard, as she came screaming Jack's name. Then he removed the pillow and towel from under her, pulled the corner of the blanket up over her and held her for a few minutes, giving her a chance to rest.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Jack asked.

"Yes, I'm okay," she answered weakly.

Jack patted her thigh affectionately, and then he snapped on a latex glove, before squeezing some self-warming jelly on the two middle fingers of his gloved right hand.

Sam giggled nervously. "It sounds like I'm about to get examined by a doctor," she laughed.

"Very observant, Sam! Now open wide for Dr. O'Neill, honey. I think you're gonna enjoy this, but you tell me if I do anything you don't like," he said. Sam felt his hand sliding down over her vulva, and then a lubed finger slipped into her anus. It felt warm and very nice.

"Mmmm," she hummed. They'd had anal sex plenty of times, although not like this, and Jack knew she liked it. But Sam suspected this time was going to be very different. Jack pulled his finger out and then inserted both lubricated fingers inside her. Then he rotated them, pulling them from side to side, before moving them in and out...in and out. When Jack removed his fingers Sam felt empty.

"Just do it already!" Sam pleaded, more than ready for him to stop teasing her.

"Patience, my pretty one! I'm just preparing you for something bigger," he said, as he chose a pink, gel vibrator from the items on the bed. It wasn't the largest vibrator Sam owned, but it wasn't small either. Jack smeared some more lube on the vibrator using his gloved fingers, and then he removed the glove, tossing it, inside out, to the floor.

"Okay, lift your legs onto my shoulders and relax, honey. This is where we get serious," he told her as he centered the tip of the cock-shaped vibrator in her asshole. Then he pushed it in...one...inch...at...a...time, until all five inches was inside her. Sam let out a little cry and tried to close her thighs, but of course his head was in the way. He reacted quickly, grabbing one thigh before it impacted his head, while dodging the other.

"Easy, Sam! Just breathe and try to relax," he said soothingly. "You can put 'em down now," he told her. "And try not to squeeze."

Jack helped her lower her legs, and then he stretched out over her, resting on his left elbow. With one hand directing his cock, he located her opening and entered her in one fluid motion. Then he reached around her with his free arm, slipping his hand down between the bed and her body, until he found the end of the vibrator. Gripping it with one hand, he held the dildo firmly in place, and then he paused, giving himself time to savor the moment. Fucking her both ways at the same time had been one of his most erotic fantasies, and now it was coming true!

Sam gasped as she felt herself being filled so completely. Although it was a little daunting, Jack's aggressiveness didn't scare her. In fact she liked it! It thrilled her to be taken so thoroughly...to be under his total control. She trusted Jack implicitly. She always had! Instinctively Sam lifted her legs and wrapped them high around Jack's waist, as he began to thrust into her. And that was when Sam first felt the clitoral stimulators on the penis ring he was wearing. She didn't know when he'd put it on, but she was damned glad he had!

Sam thought she had died and gone to heaven!

But Jack was not done with her yet. Just when Sam thought there could be no more the man could do to her...or FOR her...he flipped the 'on' switch on the vibrator. Almost instantly she felt her vaginal muscles begin to spasm and her body tremble as she began to climax. A high-pitched keening escaped Sam's lips, but Jack did not stop or slow down. He continued to fuck her, increasing the speed and depth of his thrusts, while sliding the vibrator in and out of her ass.

Sam just kept coming and coming and coming...

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

The next few months were very busy for Jack, who had been sent on several undercover operations...all out of the country...and all involving the Goa'uld Baal and his attempts to gain a foothold on Earth. But every time Jack thought he had him, he would get away, and Jack would come home sullen and mean-tempered...until one day Sam couldn't take his bad mood anymore!

"Jack, this has got to stop!" she yelled at him, slamming her hand down on the counter, her eyes shining with tears. They were at home in their kitchen, and Kelly was in her room playing. Sam had just offered to fix Jack a sandwich for lunch, but he had turned her down, saying he wasn't hungry. He hadn't eaten breakfast either, and Sam could see that he was losing weight.

"What?" he asked, his forehead wrinkled in a frown...a frown that had been in place for weeks now.

"This angry sulking! You don't eat...you don't sleep...and you're always so damned quiet! I feel like I'm living with a stranger!" she yelled, as she absently massaged one hand with the other. Jack noticed and reached out to take her hands in his, surrounding them with his much larger ones. And then her tears began to fall, and her body shook.

"Oh, God, Sam, I'm sorry. I really am! I didn't realize what this is doing to you." He stepped closer to her, closing the space between them as much as was possible, considering she was in her thirty-second week and expecting twins!

"I guess I've been a bitch to live with," he said, as he raised one hand to her hair and the other to her face...his long fingers tracing her jaw, catching her tears as he fell. "I love you, you know? I never meant for this to hurt you in any way, and if I could catch this bastard today, I would!"

"You might not be able to catch him for years, Jack! But even if you do get Baal, when will it end? There will be other bad guys out there, and you will be thrown in the midst of things again and again...until you are willing to give it up...or until you get yourself killed. I won't put Kelly and myself through any more of this!"

"What are you saying, Sam?" he asked her, his hands falling to his sides. Jack felt defeated...even more so than when he failed to catch that bastard Baal. My God, he thought, did Sam intend to leave him? After all they'd been through together, had he finally pushed her too far...expected too much of her?

He watched as she shut her eyes and took a deep breath, her hands coming to rest on her belly. Jack thought she was trying to compose herself...trying not to cry even harder. He knew how much she hated breaking down in front of him. Even now, years after her stint in the military, she still tried to keep a stiff upper lip, as it were. But of course there had been many times lately when she'd failed miserably. 'Hormones' she had said.

He waited patiently for her answer, expecting the worst. But what happened next was not at all what he'd been expecting!

"Jack...my water just broke," she said, and then she looked down at her feet. Jack's eyes followed hers, and he saw the puddle forming on the floor. Like a man possessed, Jack scooped her up in his arms and carried her to their bedroom, where he gently laid her on the bed. Then he dashed to the linen cabinet and pulled out several towels. Sam lifted her hips so he could place them under her, and then he sat down next to her.

"What do we do now, Sam?" he asked, as he spread his hands over her belly protectively. She covered his hands with her much smaller ones and smiled at him.

"We notify Caroline," she told him, but Jack already had his cell phone in his hand and was dialing the base infirmary. "...and Daniel and Vala! Ask them to come over here and take care of Kelly. And then I think you should take me to the base," she said, as she felt the beginning of a contraction. While Jack talked to Caroline, Sam squeezed his hand until the contraction subsided. It was only a mild one, she said, and he relayed the news to Dr. Lam. He spoke to her for only another few seconds, asking about Daniel's whereabouts, and then he ended the call.

"She wants you down there asap. And she hasn't seen Daniel today," he told her as he dialed Daniel's cell phone number. He picked up on the second ring.

"Oh, Daniel, I'm glad I found you! It's Sam; she's in labor!"

"Oh, ma gosh! We're at the Native American art festival in Pueblo, but we'll come right back! Are you at the base?"

"No, Daniel, we're at home. But I'm going to take Sam to the base right now. Meet us there! Okay?"

"Okay, will do! And Jack...good luck!"

"Thanks, Daniel," Jack replied and then he snapped the phone shut. "They're in Pueblo at an art festival," Jack said to Sam's curious stare. "Now where did you put that suitcase?" he asked her, suddenly remembering the bag she had packed for just this purpose.

While Sam managed to change into some dry clothing, Jack got Kelly ready to go. Then he walked Sam out to the car...her leaning on his arm, while Kelly held her other hand, chattering away animatedly about what she was going to do with the babies when they got home from the hospital.

Two hours later Jack was sitting on a chair by Sam's empty bed, wondering what was going on in the surgery. Things hadn't gone quite as planned. He'd known that much just as soon as Sam had gone into labor! It wasn't that early deliveries were unusual with twins, Caroline had explained. It was just that the longer the birth could be delayed, the better chance the babies had. But these babies had other plans, and apparently nothing was going to prevent them from being born today...except maybe their mother's blood pressure, which had risen dangerously about twenty minutes ago. That was when Caroline had decided to take the babies by C-section.

"Jack," Daniel said quietly, as he handed Jack a cup of coffee. "I don't suppose there's any news yet?"

"No, Daniel. Where are Kelly and Vala?" Jack asked as he accepted the Styrofoam cup. He didn't drink. He just held the cup, allowing the warmth to penetrate his cold hands. He had felt chilled to the bone ever since they'd gotten there. Whether the chilled feeling he had was from anxiety, or from the actual cold of the underground base, Jack wasn't certain.

"Vala took Kelly to see Dr. Lee. He's working with some really interesting bugs that SG-14 brought back with them last week. You should see 'em, Jack! They're big...about the size and shape of a small cantaloupe that's been cut in half. And they glow in the dark!"

"That's great, Daniel," Jack said, but his voice was monotone and lacking enthusiasm.

"Jack, don't worry so much! Sam is in good hands, and babies are delivered by C-section every day! Have been for years!"

"I know that, Daniel. But what about Sam's blood pressure? What if it doesn't come down? What if..."

But before he could finish, a nurse hurried into the room carrying a paper gown and a mask. She helped Jack put them on, and then he followed her to the surgery. Caroline was similarly dressed, as were the three nurses who were assisting her.

"I'm about to lift out one of the babies now, General, and I thought you might like to watch," Caroline said, glancing up at Jack, before returning her eyes back to her patients.

Jack didn't answer verbally, but he did move closer to the operating table, where Sam was laying with several wires and tubes attached to various parts of her body. He stood there feeling suddenly paralyzed. Sam's eyes were closed, but thanks to the monitor he could see and hear her heart beating regularly.

"I've given Sam a light sedative. Her pressure has already fallen into the acceptable range, Jack. Come on...look what I've found in here! It's a baby girl! Have you two chosen names for them yet?" she asked, as she lifted one tiny, messy infant from Sam's belly. A nurse was waiting with a clean towel, onto which Caroline placed the baby, who immediately began to cry quite loudly, her entire little body quivering with fear and shock. The nurse stepped around Sam's legs and handed the screaming infant to Jack.

"Eh...no, not yet," was all Jack could manage to say, as he took the lighter-than-air bundle and held her on his left arm.

"Number two coming right up...just as soon as I cut the umbilical," Caroline told everyone, and the nurse who had taken the first baby prepared to accept the second one. Jack looked down at his daughter's miniature face, her features somewhat hidden by blood and distorted by her fright, and his heart went out to her. But then his attention was drawn to Caroline again, as she announced, "And this one's a boy!"

She gently lifted the second infant and put it in the nurse's waiting arms. The baby did not cry, and Jack watched anxiously as the nurse hurried over to the other side of the small room with him. He didn't know what she was doing to the baby, and it seemed like hours before he finally heard his son's first cry.

"Don't worry, Jack," Caroline said, as she guided him over to the counter where he could see his son. "Some babies don't mind being born so much, while others hate the experience," she explained, tucking the towel closer around Jack's squalling daughter. "Hold her closer to your chest Jack, and keep her wrapped snugly. This one's gonna need a little more reassurance and swaddling...if you ever want to get any sleep, that is!"

Jack did as she instructed, and the baby girl did seem to quiet down a bit. The boy, on the other hand, had stopped crying completely, and actually seemed to be enjoying what was going on. The nurse was gently soaping his dark hair, and Jack could see now that he was much larger than his sister. However, both of them combined couldn't weigh more than eight or nine pounds, he thought with amazement.

Jack stood by and watched every move the nurse made and every reaction of his son, still a little dismayed by the baby's relaxed attitude. As soon as the boy was bathed, the nurse weighed him and put a shirt and diaper on him. After placing him in an Isolette, she took Jack's new daughter and gave her a bath too. Unlike her brother, the girl continued to cry the entire time. Caroline, who had left to stitch up Sam's incision, arrived just in time to see both infants lying in their little beds.

The tiny girl, who was dressed in a pink, wrap-around shirt and a disposable diaper with pink and yellow ponies on it, had strawberry-blonde hair and a pale complexion, while her brother was darker over all. Caroline thought they looked like miniatures of their parents, and she wondered if Jack had noticed.

She pulled her stethoscope out of her pocket and warmed it between her hands before placing it on both their little chests. After she was satisfied that their lungs were clear and their hearts were beating strongly, she touched Jack's arm.

"Sam will be asleep for a little while yet, but she's doing just fine now. Did you know I had these special little beds flown in from Dallas just for your babies? They're the latest thing in infant care, Jack. I wasn't sure what precautions we might need to take. But I think it's safe to say that these two, while they are a tad early, are very mature physically. Your son weighed in at four pounds, eight ounces, and his sister weighs three pounds and twelve ounces. That's really quite good for thirty-two weeks, Jack."

"Really? So they're okay?"

"Yes, I'd say they're VERY okay! Of course we'll keep a close eye on them. We'll be attaching a heart monitor to both infants, so don't be shocked when you see it," she informed him. Jack nodded, his ability to talk, let alone think, almost gone. He was mentally and physically exhausted, as he let a nurse remove the paper gown and mask he wore. Then she ushered him back down the hall to the infirmary, where Daniel was waiting.

"Jack! What happened? Are the baby's here yet? Are they okay?"

"Yes," Jack said as he practically fell into the chair where he'd been sitting earlier.

"Yes? Yes! Is that all you can say! So tell me about them! For God's sake man, snap out of it!" Daniel yelled.

"I have a son and a daughter, Daniel, and they're about the size of my hand," he said, holding his hand out, palm up, to indicate their size.

"But they're okay, right? And Sam...how is she?"

"They're all fine...at least I think they are. I mean Caroline said they were, but..."

"Here's Daddy," Vala cried out, as she and Kelly came skipping into the infirmary.

"Daddy, Daddy! Are my babies borned yet?" Kelly asked, jumping up onto Jack's knee.

"Yes, honey, they are." Jack seemed to snap out of his shock when he heard his daughter's voice. He hugged her and began to tell her all about the babies being born...or at least as much as a three-year-old child needed to hear.

Vala and Daniel stood over them, and Daniel had his arm around Vala's waist. Every now and then she would gaze up at Daniel and smile, and he would give her a little squeeze in return.

"You know something? I'm suddenly starving, guys! Does anyone want to go and grab a bite to eat with me?" Jack asked. They all agreed that a celebratory meal or snack would be appropriate, and so they headed to the commissary to see what the cook had made that day.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

When they got back from the commissary, Sam had been returned to her bed in the infirmary, and the two isolettes were positioned on the other side of the bed. Jack, who'd had Kelly by the hand, had to hang onto his exuberant daughter to keep her from running over to the two babies.

"I wanna see my babies!" Kelly yelled loudly, and Jack watched as Sam's head turned toward the group. He was thankful she was awake.

"Whoa there, honey! No running around in here," Jack said, "and no shouting. I'll hold you up, so you can get a look. But first," he said, as he leaned down to give Sam a gentle kiss, "I want to tell your mother how much I love her. Hello, gorgeous," he said, and Sam smiled weakly at him.

"Not feeling so gorgeous right now. Did you see the babies?" she asked in a small voice, as she turned her head toward the twins once again.

"See 'em! I was there when they were born, Sam! I saw the whole thing!" he bragged, beaming. Then he picked Kelly up in his arms, and as promised, took her to see her new baby brother and sister. When she saw them, her reaction was typically Kelly.

"Harrumph! I was afraid of this; they're too little to play with me," she said, the disappointment evident in her voice. "I guess I'll just have to let them grow up a bit first," she added.

Jack just stared at her, dumbfounded. 'How is it that a simpleton like me could have produced a smart kid like her?' he wondered for perhaps the thousandth time.

"That's exactly what I was thinking, sweetheart. You're a very considerate big sister, Kelly," Sam told her proudly.

"Hello, everyone!" Caroline said as she came into the room. "I was just filling out the paper work on these two new O'Neills, but I don't know their names!"

"Well, we have discussed names, but..." Sam began, but she decided to stop short of blaming Jack for the fact that they still hadn't settled on any. 'The man certainly can be stubborn!' she complained silently.

"Mommy picked out nice names, but Daddy didn't like them," Kelly tattled on him, as she gave Jack a disapproving look. Sam turned away from Jack, hoping to hide her smile, but he saw it anyway.

"Well, I've had time to think about it, and I've decided the names you picked are perfect, Sam."

"Really?" Sam's face lit up, and she reached out for Jack's hand. "You tell Dr. Lam the names, Kelly," she told their daughter.

"The boy's name is Daniel Jonathan, after Mommy's two favorite men," she said with a giggle, obviously repeating exactly what Sam had said. Everyone laughed, including Daniel who was also fighting to hold back his tears. He finally gave up and pulled out a handkerchief, blowing his nose loudly.

"And the girl's name is Catherine Janet, after two of Mommy's and Daddy's friends. They're both dead now. But Mommy says they were the two most portant women at the SGC," Kelly stated, almost getting all the words right.

"That's right, Kelly, they were VERY important around here, and I'm sorry I didn't approve the names the very first time I heard them. And actually I liked the Daniel part from the beginning. It was the Jonathan part I'm not wild about. Never have liked my name," he added under his breath. "And as for the other, I'm just a wee bit superstitious, in case none of you have noticed. To me there's something kind of creepy about naming a child after two dead people, and only one being the name of a saint at that!" Jack explained with an Irish lilt to his voice. "Just call it stupidity on my part," he added with a laugh.

"No, Daddy, you're not stupid. Mommy says you're just a little dense sometimes," Kelly said. Everyone laughed, including Jack.

Daniel stepped up to Sam's bed and shook Jack's hand before bending down to kiss Sam on the cheek.

"I couldn't be more honored, you guys! And I am sure that if Janet and Catherine were here, they would tell you how much this means to them. ...and how glad they are that little Daniel and Catherine were born here on base! Do you realize that your babies are the first to be born here?"

"Yes, I guess they are! I never really thought about it before, Daniel," Sam said. Jack sat down on Sam's bed with Kelly on his lap, so she could watch the babies in their beds while the adults talked. They all turned as they heard someone entering the room.

"I happen to know that being born here makes them extremely special," General Landry said as he joined the group. "Congratulations, you two! I just got off the phone with the President. He sends his best wishes, AND he said he will be sending along certificates that prove these two new O'Neills are official members of the SGC!"

"Wow, that's quite a birthright," Vala said, and everyone murmured agreement, except for Kelly who wanted an explanation of the new word.

"Wait!" Jack shouted, holding up one finger. "Let me get this one. Birthright means something a person inherits or gets because of who they are. It's not something they work for," Jack told her, looking around for approval.

"But what about me? Don't I have a birthright?" Kelly asked, a pout forming on her otherwise cherubic face. Jack's face fell, and Sam reached out a hand, as though to lend moral support to her disappointed daughter.

"Yes, honey, you do," Hank said, and everyone looked at him expectantly for an explanation.

"The President has also issued a special certificate for you, young lady. It states that you are also an official member of the SGC," he informed her, and everyone applauded, including Kelly. Catherine made her presence known by beginning to wail, and five seconds later her brother Daniel joined in.

"Well, that is fantastic news, but what say we all get out of here for a while and let Sam and Jack get better acquainted with their babies," Caroline suggested. Everyone agreed, and they said their good-byes. Daniel and Vala took Kelly with them, promising to have her home before ten pm.

One hour later in the infirmary...

Sam had finished nursing...or attempting to nurse... the twins. Her milk hadn't come in yet, and she had been a little disappointed and frustrated, even though Caroline had told her not to worry and to keep on trying. So after each baby had a go at both breasts, and they were each given a little formula, Jack had placed them back into their little beds. After kissing them each gently on the top of their head, he had returned to the bed to spend a while longer with his wife.

Now he was stretched out on the bed next to her, kissing her softly on the lips, as one hand played absently with locks of her hair. Jack kissed her three times, each kiss longer than the last, before forcing himself to remember she'd just had two babies. The woman was totally hot even now...with her hair all a mess, no makeup on and wearing a baggy hospital gown.

'Damn, but the next two months are gonna be hell!' he thought. As Jack remembered Caroline's stern words of caution, he released a long, pent-up sigh.

"No sex for two whole months, Jack, and that's an order," Caroline had said with an evil grin.

"I think you enjoy telling guys they can't have sex," he had complained. She had cackled wickedly as she walked out of the infirmary. Well, that was the way Jack remembered it!

"A penny for 'em," Sam said, repeating what Jack had said to her on the flight to Hawaii several months earlier.

"Oh, it's nothing. Well, actually it's a huge something to me, but it's not your problem, Sam."

"Anything that involves you is my problem too, Jack," she corrected him.

"It was just what the Doc told me about you. No sex for two months."

"Oh, so that's the problem, is it? Well, you DO know that doesn't mean I can't pleasure you in other ways, don't you?" Sam asked, hooking a finger in the button hole of his shirt. He hadn't even realized she had unbuttoned his shirt, and now she had her hand inside it and had located his nipple. She squeezed the small, brown button gently, and Jack jumped.

"Hey! No fair! he gasped, remembering to keep his voice down, so as not to wake the babies. He was all for having some fun, but he certainly didn't want to scare his kids or alert the nurses!

"Actually, there IS something you can do for me, Jack. You can help stimulate my breasts to produce milk," Sam suggested, and Jack's eyebrows arched.

"No fooling?" Sam wouldn't kid about something like this, would she?

"No fooling! The more they're sucked, the sooner my milk will come," she informed him. "But you have to work the entire areola, not just my nipples."

"No problem!" he replied gleefully, and he helped Sam uncover a plump breast.

Late the next evening both babies were enjoying a meal at their mother's breasts, and Jack was standing beside the bed, beaming with pride over a job well done.

"It's amazing how quickly your milk came in, Sam! And if those two keep eating like this, they'll be up to their normal weight in no time," Caroline told them, as she made a notation on Sam's chart. She thought Jack was looking awfully smug right now, but she couldn't figure out why.

After Caroline went back to her office, Jack sat down on the edge of Sam's bed. He had been feeling badly about the argument they'd had yesterday before Sam's water broke...so bad that he had made an important decision. It was time he told her, he decided, but he was reluctant to re-open the wound. He carefully took his son's hand in his and examined the tiny digits.

"It's hard to believe we made them, isn't it?" he asked her. Sam smiled as she handed Daniel to him. "It's a lot easier to believe, when you carry them inside you for eight months!" she insisted, rolling her eyes.

Jack put the baby up to his shoulder and gently patted the tiny back. A loud burp echoed around the room, and both Jack and Sam laughed.

"Wow! That was a big burp, little fella," Jack said as he transferred the baby to his arm. Then he laid the baby down in his little bed and changed his diaper.

Sam watched, amazed at how gentle Jack was with their son. She had also been impressed by how quickly he had learned to care for the babies. Today he had even given them their baths. Sam wiped Catherine's tiny face and put her up to her shoulder, as she continued to watch Jack bonding with his son.

She knew that Jack had something in particular on his mind tonight, and she really wished he would just say whatever it was! Sam had learned over the years that it wasn't often that Jack O'Neill felt like talking about something personal...something involving feelings. Sam wondered what was on his mind this time. Should she ask him, or just be patient and let him start to talk about whatever it was, in his own good time? She had just decided to ask what was eating at him, when he sat down on the edge of the bed and began to talk.

"Sam, you know how much I love you. And you know I never meant for my job to come between us. I didn't even realize what it was doing to me, until you pointed it out. I'm sorry I've been hard to live with lately. I guess I just got so caught up in my work, that I wasn't aware of how it was affecting me...and you. Are you mad at me?" he asked, sounding like a little boy whose mother had scolded him for being naughty.

"No, of course I'm not mad at you, Jack. I'm worried about you! You have been like a different man lately. This thing with Baal has you talking in your sleep...when you sleep at all. You don't eat...I'm sure you've lost weight. And you're grouchy and not interested in doing any of the things you used to like to do. Even Kelly's noticed how you've changed."

"Oh? Has she said anything?" Jack asked, as he reached out and took hold of one of Catherine's feet, touching each little toe with his index finger.

"She said you're not fun anymore," Sam told him softly. Jack dropped his hand from the baby's foot and swore under his breath.

"Son of a bitch! It sounds like you must wonder who this stranger is you're living with," Jack said.

Sam nodded. "Exactly! And I want my husband back!"

"Then that's what you're gonna get. I'm quitting, Sam. And this time no one will talk me out of it. I don't care how man alien bad guys there are out there, I won't risk losing your love for one more day."

"Really?"

"Yes, really! Now give me Cathy, and I'll change her diaper," he said and Sam chuckled.

"Cathy? When did we decide she was Cathy?" she asked pursing her lips, her cheeks dimpling.

"It just came out. Seems to fit her, don't you think?" Jack asked, his eyes searching hers for acceptance. And when he found it, he smiled and so did she. After Jack changed Cathy's diaper and put her down, he came and got into bed with Sam. They snuggled quietly for a bit...Jack's arms around Sam...her head on his shoulder...and then...

"Sam?" Jack began, as he lightly stroked her arm with his finger tips.

"What Jack?" What, Sam wondered, did Jack have on his mind now?

"You know what you said yesterday about pleasuring me in other ways?"

"Yes, Jack, I remember." And now Sam knew exactly where this discussion was leading, but she really didn't mind. Jack was the best husband a woman could have, and he deserved to be shown how much she appreciated him.

"Well...do you think you could start now?" he asked, moving Sam's hand over the bulge in his pants.

"You're incorrigible, do you know that, Jack O'Neill?"

"Always, Mrs. O'Neill."

THE END

Please visit my website mariecaron .com to find out about my newest e-book to be released February 17, 2014. Thanx! ziva


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